TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (PIA) - - A total number of 86 individuals who are children of former rebels from this province received their educational assistance from the provincial government in January this year.

Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer Elvira Layus said beneficiaries who are elementary pupils received P3,000 each while junior and senior high school student-beneficiaries received P4,000 and P5,000, respectively.

The educational assitance was received by the former rebels themselves in behalf of their children.

“This is an initiative of the Provincial Government of Cagayan to help the children of the former rebels. We will take care of them from elementary to college,” Layus said in an interview with the 17th Infantry Battalion.

Layus also extended her gratitude to the troopers of the 17th and 77th Infantry Battalions for assisting the beneficiaries in processing the needed documents.

Meanwhile, the PSWDO and the Department of the Interior and Local Government-Cagayan also awarded P50,000 worth of livelihood assistance to three former armed members of the Communist Terrorist Group. Each beneficiary also received P15,000 immediate cash assistance.

Former members of Militia ng Bayan, on the other hand, received P15,000 worth of immediate cash assistance.

“For this quarter, nasa 125 former rebels ang subject for interview for the assistance. Since hindi siya kakayanin ng Provincial Government of Cagayan, yung iba ay nire-refer natin sa iba nating partner agencies katulad ng DSWD, DTI, para mabigyan natin ng assistance ang lahat ng ating former rebels,” Layus said. (MDCT/PIA Cagayan)